"always smiling and always will"...a moto of mine that has stuck with me for years. Loving life since my transplant! Taking on various challenges from the Bupa Great South Run; UK, European & World Transplant Games in various sports; travelling the globe & sailing in the Clipper 11-12 Race. This year competing with Team GB in the World Transplant Games, South Africa

Jussie sails with Clipper 11-12

I sailed the last leg (8) in 2012 - USA,Nova Scotia,Ireland,Netherlands & UK. Travelling 4,000 miles, approx 22 days at sea, with 4 races in this leg.

Monday, 22 July 2013

Well here it is.... my final journal as I depart on July 25th as part of Team GB in the WTG -World Transplant Games. After 2 flights I will arrive into Durban, South Africa on 26th July sometime in the afternoon. Jet lagged or not, let the good times roll ;)

The actual games start on 28th July until 4th August and I will be competing in ladies badminton doubles, mixed badminton doubles, shot put, discus and lawn bowls. I have been training hard in my specialist sports and lawn bowls is something different for fun yet still competitive. Aswell, as my sports I have also been boosting my fitness with EBC - Essex Boot Camp (which replaced initially the gym from late last year).

ready for badminton

discus

shot put

So major thanks to Glynn and James directors of Essex Boot Camp, EBC website and all the instructors for helping me. My badminton coach Michael Kilbey and athletics coach Brian MacKenzie Brian's website - thank you all so Very Much!!!

I will update my Facebook and Twitter accounts (@lamlungartist) as and when I can with updates, and those with my contact number can text me using whatsapp if you would like to contact me this way whilst away (duration of 3 weeks in total).

Upon returns, I will also update a blog on here about my World Games venture :)

Thanks again to everyone who has donated on my justgiving link, for anyone who would like to still to donate for Transplant Sport UK whilst I am away. The link is JustGiving here. Thanks, and as they say every little helps xxx

Also, some people already know, that these will be my last transplant games. There are a few reasons, mainly that I am tired and exhausted pushing my body sometimes training 5 times a week. I also feel that a new chapter in my life has begun, and I would like to try new and different sports/challenges. My eyes have been opened since joining Essex Boot Camp to military style outdoor training and activity days out. Also, massive thanks to EBC being my sponsors for World Tranplant Games.

I have already put myself forward for Rat Race (May 2014) which I'm doing half the course consisting of 13 miles and 150 obstacles. I know I can't run this and do the obstacles as my puff will go. So, have already said to myself I will walk 13 miles and attempt as many of the obstacles as I can. I will also be doing a 10 mile run (jog/walk) with an inspiring heart transplantee friend John Fisher who lives in Sweden. John and I will discuss later this year whether we do a 10 mile run where he lives or in the UK, again for 2014.

I have also signed up for a 6 week pole dance course in September and if I am any good will keep this going aswell at the bootcamp. I want to now enjoy exercise for keeping fit/fun. I do not want to push my body with competitive sports to an extreme and to lead a normal life exercising 2-3 times a week and not 5 or even sometimes 6!

The transplant community is still a BIG part of my life and always will be. I hope to maintain social events within the transplant games/be a spectator and carry on raising awareness on Organ Donation and LAM disease.

By having more 'me' time, I hope to finally try and resume my biography which is taking like forever as I am always SO busy!!! I also think it is about time I had time to meet someone too. My lifestyle has been that it's too manic to contemplate a boyfriend and even my social life with friends has taken a knock back as if I am training, I cancel a lot of fun times out.

This Needs to change, and after competing in UK, European and now my 2nd World Games (South Africa) - it is time to retire as an athlete, lol. Time for me to get my life back and have time for other things to pursue :)

Lastly, TNLAR - The National Lottery Annual Run which took place on Sunday 21st July, a 5 mile run ending up in the Olympic Stadium. It was a truly amazing day, and something I was urming and umming about actually doing as so close to flying to South Africa. In the end, I was like what the hell - a chance in a lifetime to end up running in the Olympic Stadium. Also, a great bunch of people from EBC going too. I was in the pink wave starting last, and was happy that I managed to changed waves to a faster group (not that I would or could be faster) hahaha. But, nice that I was able to start with most people in this wave already.

at start of race

The first 2 miles I was all gung ho, here I go - and funny as everyone run way past me and then I saw EBC peeps the other side approaching me. I had thought just step across a cut a mile out ;) But, kept going and by the time I had been where they was and saw me. I was like, WOW, these people are fast and had done 2 miles to my almost 1 mile!

pit stop required mile 3

Quite apt I saw this on a wall as we were running (me walking) as in the photo below

running to mile 3 right, running to mile 4 on left side

The atmosphere was electric and also with music/bands at various points on the circuit. When I felt a lull, the music really did lift my adrenalin and another short burst before my puff needed to be resumed.

You know I am in awe of my friends and those who can run for miles and miles and don't need to stop to breathe. What does that feel like to do this?? What does it feel like to run and run and run and keep running and not struggle? I know it's daft I'm just wanting to be able to run a mile non-stop, this still hasn't happened...I will NOT give up and keep trying. Just, I never know from one day to the next how I will be. I am NOT a quitter and will live in hope :)

There were 11,839 runners on the day......find out later where I finished any guesses?

go go me.....

whoop here I am on the finishing track

Wow, final 100m to go!!

Approaching the stadium, all runners were lead through a tunnel and the crowd noise was played through, I think from Mo Farah's race. So, upon entering the stadium and seeing everyone was a euphoric moment. I wanted to run, yet, I also wanted to take pics on my phone!!

at end of race

medal :)

So.......I ended up from 11,839 runners coming in as position 11,807 being 32nd from last in 1 hour 26 minutes and 06 seconds!! I was happy with that, and it averages out as 17.2 minutes per mile. One EBC chap did his run in 33 minutes (Pete) truly amazing!!!! WOW!! A great day and thanks also to my parents being there too to watch.

Finally, I also celebrated my 7th year post double lung transplant on July 9th in National Transplant Week this year. I was busy also trying to raise awareness and I appeared in 3 newspapers (The East Anglian Daily Times, The Essex Chronicle and The Chelmsford Weekly News). It was also amazing to meet para-Olympian Danny Crates for an hour long radio interview BBC Essex Inspirational Essex show.

Well, from what intended to be a short update as usual has become an essay, apologies. Whatever my outcome upon returning home from South Africa - I am winner as alive, any medals just a bonus of that. Obviously, it would be a nice way to retire with a medal - otherwise I will happily accept chocolate medals from you all :) xx

Thursday, 4 July 2013

How about a normal casual Sunday morning...waking up for a coffee and a bowl of cereal, newspapers, lazying about in bed. Having a nice chilled out day. Not Me! I was about to set upon another challenge, called, Lactic Rush - a 7 mile course with 30 obstacles. In the end, it turned out to be a distance of about 9 miles. I was totally exhausted and unable to move upon returning home.Standard for a Sunday, lol.

So, the build up to this event was seeing me trying to accustom my body to a 7 mile distance with interval training over a period of weeks leading up to Lactic in May. Thanks to all my friends who helped me out, and for the coffee/food chats after. It was not easy, and at times very frustrating and as usual wishing that I was able to run continuously without having to stop. I think the most I achieved in interval training was approx 5 miles and then having to walk the rest due to exhaustion.

The power of the mind is a great tool, and my determination always wins and sees me through. You will hear more about this, especially taking part in Lactic Rush.

I had no idea what the course route would involve except knew to expect mud and water. I have a fear of water too and know my lungs restrict (the airways close) as the cold goes into chest. But, I was still not deterred as knew I could walk round instead of entering any water obstacles.

The first part of the course I did try my interval training of jog/walk, but after so many obstacles and a constant moving into low ditches to coming out high was utilizing my energy. So, I totally gave up running and walked the whole way - if I felt a little burst - I would try for like a few seconds, lol.

Here I am at the start with Nicola and Kim

and looks like I am stamping ants at the warm up taken by Glynn

Here we go through the mud

swamp like most of the way round

I have included some photos taken to show what it was like and some of the layout that followed. You will see that it was not easy and I was left behind by most, hahaha.

Scott Smith and I and below his story

This information was taken from Scott Smith's justgiving link.....6 years ago at the age of 28 I was diagnosed with bowel cancer. After a rather large operation and 6 tough years of recovery, I am now at 34 stronger than ever!

I am competing in Lactic Rush (a 7.5 mile cross country run and assault course) simply because I never thought I would ever be able to do something like this. Surviving Cancer has taught me that if you put your mind to it, you can achieve anything.

I wasn't running for a charity simply for my own sense of achievement. A few people began to say that they would like sponsor me, and couldn't think of a better charity.

I was one of the lucky ones who because of these charities and all their hard work was diagnosed early. Allowing me 6 years later to do something stupid like compete in Lactic Rush! (The first of many such events I plan to complete in 2013) Unfortunatley not everyone is as lucky as I was. If you can your donations will not be to support a worthy charity but to also show my son that anything possible. It will also be a donation to honour the people close to us we have all lost to Cancer.

Scott and I started chatting through Facebook, and even though our journeys have been and were completely different, a sense of mind connection through the various emotions one feels experiencing a scary illness. It was great to meet Scott and I get inspired also by people and thanks Scott. Keep Rocking! :)

Sam and Craig who helped me towards the end of Lactic

See me....trying to slim down through the tyres

The course was almost over, and my energy levels were totally deflated and my puff on it's last legs almost, such a long route and draining me. The marshals were amazing and kept coming round to check I was ok as I was mostly on my own and so far behind everyone else. I was being offered water and chocolate too :)

I was also being offered alternative routes to cut shorter the distance and to avoid obstacles. In the end out of 30 obstacles I only missed out 4. The main one that concerned me was going down a slide into a muddy water pond. I can't get any mud or dirty water in my lungs...so that a definite no no! There were also large mounds like little mountains and I was told to walk round them. I said no....got a few shocked looks, hahaha....and up I went.....phew...puff...gasp of breath......but I got there and went down the other side smiling :)

Thumbs Up on the haystack :)

Whoop over I go

YAY! Getting to the finish line!!!!!

Thanks to the other bootcamp chaps Sam and Craig (from their own bootcamp site) helping lots at the end. I guess I knew I would be on my own and had a couple of people with me at the start. But, I did say go on as I would not be able to keep up. At times, I got upset and frustrated but used that mentality to keep me pushing and get to the finish. I was over 3 hours completing this race and the slowest female (no surprises there) and lunch time had way passed. I just want to finish! I am NOT giving up!

At one point there was another group of people helping me and even waiting for me until I arrived at some obstacles to see me through. One I actually walked in the water and then turned round to walk out. I don't know who this man was...but he encouraged me to turn back around and try. It was my most fear and a river neck deep and I knew my breathing would struggle.......he knew about my transplant, and actually helped me and coached me how to breathe each time the cold got into my lungs. He could see me I guess panic or breathing go shallow and was amazing....... I actually managed to get to the other side. Even the marshal was gobsmacked.

I've done it!

Team EBC

Thanks to those who waited for me to finish. It was great to also see Glynn and James the EBC directors wave me in :) And thanks also to Mike and Judit who made sure I was ok and got me a hamburger as I hadn't eaten for a long time. Thanks :)

Also, massive thanks to Rebecca who drove me there and back and even made me the most amazing chocolate cake as you can see in the photo below!! YUM!!

It's true to say, exhaustion upon returning home and the next few days was inevitable as I had put my body through a lot. However, as usual another huge achievement ticked off!

Well, soon I depart for South Africa on July 25th to compete in the World Transplant Games as part of Team GB/NI. I will write another little journal in the next couple of weeks. If anyone would like to still donate please click on this justgiving link thanks for Transplant Sport UK.

Thanks for everyone's support and to all at Essex Boot Camp - so glad I have found this fitness group.

Contact ME

World Transplant Games

Website used from 2005-2009

About Me

I am very lucky to be alive after a double-lung transplant in July 2006. I suffered the rarest lung disease called, Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (Lam). I kept fighting for my life and trying to breathe each time my lung collapsed (15 times). I used to be on 24 hour oxygen to help me breathe and also wheelchair bound. At one stage I ended up in a coma (3weeks) and remained on life support for almost 2 months. I had to learn how to walk again with a zimaframe, and start to re-build my life/confidence/strength up. I want to enjoy my life with the extension this transplant has given me. My journey post transplant has been challenging with health issues, but, I try to remain as positive as possible.